| There are few business activities as complex, and at | | | | development product. The latter appears to make |
| the same time, as financially rewarding, as hotel | | | | the most sense, that is, to look for land to allow the |
| development. As in any endeavor of this nature, in | | | | building of the hotel and its amenities of a product |
| addition to having the idea to develop, which means | | | | that you have in mind to begin with. The reason for |
| literally, from the American Heritage Dictionary, "to | | | | this is threefold: |
| bring it to being", "to expand or to realize the | | | | 1. Based on the opening two paragraphs, you and/or |
| potential", or" to convert to a specific purpose, such | | | | your partners have developed an idea of what you |
| as a tract of land", one must have, or acquire, the | | | | are trying to do even if it is an incomplete vision. You |
| expertise in the finished product to be developed. | | | | already have in mind the area and a rough |
| For an individual or partnership, there is more than | | | | classification, city, suburbs, highway, and what the |
| one way to acquire the product expertise. The most | | | | generators are, business travelers, tourists, university |
| obvious is to start a partnership where one or more | | | | students, etc. |
| of the partners have hotel development experience | | | | 2. To finance, and succeed in the hotel development |
| or hotel operating expertise. The latter experience is | | | | business, you will have to have a franchise. There are |
| especially helpful when considering the project, in | | | | no more "Dew Drop Inns" or other complete |
| regards to what type of hotel would be built, | | | | independents being built, due to brand awareness |
| business oriented, tourist location, resort, full service, | | | | among the traveling public, offering service and |
| limited service, high-rise, low-rise, high density or | | | | safety assurances in every price category. So you |
| otherwise, to name a few. | | | | need to have an idea of what franchises are out |
| A hotel encompasses so many different types and | | | | there and at least their rough site requirements. |
| kinds of properties, that there is no single prototype | | | | 3. Every hotel franchisor has a complete prototype |
| to define the concept, except that it is primarily a | | | | of their hotel development property, together with |
| facility that provides temporary overnight lodging. It | | | | the site requirements to accommodate them. So to |
| also may or may not include amenities such as food | | | | look for a site without knowing what you are looking |
| and beverage services, vehicle parking, and a host of | | | | for is counter- productive. Zero in on the sites that |
| other services, depending on the type. This wide | | | | fit your franchise requirement, and develop and build |
| diversity is precisely why the trade association for | | | | from the franchisors prototype. |
| hotels has changed their name from the American | | | | So there you have it. Visit online with Google or |
| Hotel Association, to the American Hotel and Motel | | | | other search engines to find a list of hotel |
| Association, and then to today's name, the American | | | | development franchisors. Contact those of your |
| Lodging Association. | | | | choice asking each of them for a UFOC (Uniform |
| So, where to start? With the chicken or the egg, find | | | | Franchise Offering Circular). |
| a tract of land near hotel business generators to | | | | Consider all of their qualifications, conditions and fees |
| support a hotel and then decide what kind of hotel | | | | as well as the type of hotel property to develop, |
| would fit on that land, bearing in mind parking, on | | | | check the area competition, and begin you search |
| grade, a subterranean garage, etc., or have a | | | | with established parameters from several franchisors |
| particular kind of hotel development product in mind | | | | for your site. |
| and look for a site to accommodate such hotel | | | | |